Method and device for dressing an inner peripheral blade in a slicing machine

Abstract

A method and a device for dressing an inner peripheral blade used in a slicing machine which slices a silicone ingot or the like into thin wafers. In the method and device, the manner of dressing the inner peripheral blade can be determined from the career of the inner peripheral blade, the value of slicing resistance occurring during the slicing of the ingot, the amount of displacement of the inner peripheral blade during the ingot slicing, and the shape of the end face of the ingot after slicing of the ingot. Based on this determination, a dressing stick provided in the dressing device is driven, so that the inner peripheral blade can be dressed automatically.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of correcting an inner peripheral blade for use in a slicing machine, comprising the steps of: disposing a dressing stick so as to be rotatable in clockwise and counterclockwise directions about an axis of rotation which is inclined with respect to a central axis of said inner peripheral blade and so as to be movable in an axial direction of said central axis of said inner peripheral blade as well as outwardly in a radial direction of said inner peripheral blade; and   selectively dressing at least one of each of four portions of said inner peripheral blade, including an inner portion of an upper half section of an edge of said inner peripheral blade, an outer portion of said upper half section of the edge of said inner peripheral blade, an inner portion of a lower half section of the edge of said inner peripheral blade, and an outer portion of the lower half section of said edge of said peripheral blade, by combining the rotational movement of said dressing stick on one of said clockwise and counterclockwise directions with movement of said dressing stick in one of upward and downward axial directions of said central axis of said inner peripheral blade in a manner which is selected so as to dress the selected said at least one portion of said inner peripheral blade.   
     
     
       2. A method of correcting an inner peripheral blade as set forth in claim 1, wherein, when selected, said inner portion of said upper half section of said inner peripheral blade is dressed by rotating said dressing stick counterclockwise and moving said dressing stick downwardly in the axial direction of said central axis of said blade, said inner portion of said lower half section of the edge of said inner peripheral blade is dressed by rotating said dressing stick clockwise and moving said dressing stick upwardly in the axial direction of said central axis of said blade, said outer portion of said upper half section of the edge of said inner peripheral blade is dressed by rotating said dressing stick clockwise and moving said dressing stick downwardly in the axial direction of said central axis of said blade, and said outer portion of said lower half section of said edge of the inner peripheral blade is dressed by rotating said dressing stick counterclockwise and moving said dressing stick upwardly in the axial direction of said central axis of said blade. 
     
     
       3. A method of correcting an inner peripheral blade as set forth in claim 1, wherein the said at least one portion which is dressed is selected by inputing a reference value of at least one parameter indicative of a need for correction of at least one of said portions into a computer control part; detecting the value of said at least one parameter resulting from slicing of a wafer from an ingot; and determining the surface portions to be dressed from differences between said detected and reference values. 
     
     
       4. A method of correcting an inner peripheral blade as set forth in claim 3, wherein said parameter is an amount of displacement of said inner peripheral blade occurring during slicing. 
     
     
       5. A method of correcting an inner peripheral blade as set forth in claim 3, wherein said parameter is the shape of an end face of said ingot after a wafer has been sliced off. 
     
     
       6. A method of correcting an inner peripheral blade for use in a slicing machine, comprising the steps of: inputting a reference value of at least one parameter that is indicative of a need for correction of at least one obliquely oriented portion of an edge of an inner peripheral blade into a computer control part;   detecting the value of said at least one parameter resulting from slicing of a wafer from an end of an ingot; and   automatically dressing said at least one portion when said detected value differs from said reference value by a predetermined amount;   wherein said dressing step is performed by disposing a dressing stick so as to be rotatable in clockwise and counterclockwise directions about an axis of rotation which is inclined with respect to a central axis of said inner peripheral blade and so as to be movable in an axial direction of said central axis of said inner peripheral blade as well as outwardly in a radial direction of said inner peripheral blade.   
     
     
       7. A method of correcting an inner peripheral blade according to claim 6, wherein said dressing step is performed by a dressing device having a plurality of dressings sticks, said dressing step being performed by at least one of the dressing sticks in dependence upon whether the surface portion to be dressed is an upper or lower surface. 
     
     
       8. A method of correcting an inner peripheral blade as set forth in claim 6, wherein said parameter is an amount of displacement of said inner peripheral blade occurring during slicing. 
     
     
       9. A method of correcting an inner peripheral blade as set forth in claim 6, wherein said parameter is the shape of an end face of said ingot after a wafer has been sliced off.